


Path of Memories

by minghaon



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-27 00:21:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5026411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minghaon/pseuds/minghaon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Junhui walks the path of memories</p>
            </blockquote>





	Path of Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on Tumblr and Asianfanfics

The sun is shining on the clear sky. The birds are singing and there's no wind at all.

It's a perfect weather, but not a perfect day. Not to Junhui at least. He's sitting at a bench in the park he used to visit one year ago. It's not normal for him to go there anymore, but today he's there.

It's been a year. He can't get his mind to understand it, but there's nothing he can do about it.

He's alone in the park. There's no other people at all. It's weird. It's the perfect weather, yet he's still alone.

"It's been a year," he says to himself and laughs a bitter laugh. There's no happiness, it's just empty.

A part of him expects someone to pat his shoulder, and he'll turn around to see _him_. There's no one of course. There's no Xu Minghao.

Junhui remembers the first time he met Minghao. He remembers it clearly, as if it was yesterday.

\--

Junhui was laying on his desk. Tiredness had overcome him, because of the game he and Soonyoung had played the night before. They both had known that they would have to go to school the day after, but it had been totally worth it - Junhui ended up winning, making it even more worth it.

"Yah, Junhui!" he heard someone say beside him.

With an annoyed sound, he creaked his eyes open to look at the person disturbing his peace. It wasn't a surprise that it was Wonwoo.

The other boy smiled at him. "You played late last night, didn't you?"

The only answer he got, was a groan. It was answer enough and Wonwoo chuckled a little. He always found it fun to annoy his friends, when they were like this - tired.

Moving his chair a little closer to the almost sleeping boy, he leaned his elbow on the other's table.

"You know what Mingyu told me?" he asked.

"What?" Junhui mumbled, eyes closed, not really paying much attention to the other. It wasn't like it would be anything important anyways. It most likely wouldn't, but the other boy wouldn't go away before he got to say what he wanted.

"There's a new transfer student starting in his class," Wonwoo said. "He's Chinese."

The last sentence got him Junhui's attention, Junhui's eyes opening and looking directly at him.

All this time, Junhui had been the only Chinese person at the whole school. It had been a long time since he had talked to a Chinese person, that wasn't his little brother or his parents. This was the first time since they moved to Korea.

"Now you're interested, huh?" Wonwoo complained, annoyed that he hadn't been able to catch his attention. 

Junhui didn't answer. He's still not interested in what Wonwoo says. He's only interested in the transfer student.

Finally escaping the classroom after the last class, Junhui smiled at the smell of hallway instead of the smell of sweat from twenty other guys. It's like paradise and he felt free when he walked in the middle of the rest of the boys, down the hallway into the freedom of the night.

Apparently not paying enough attention to his surroundings, he collided with someone, said person falling to the ground. People around them didn't really care about it. They were too busy going home.

"I'm sorry," Junhui said, helping the other get up from the cold floor. "I'm really sorry."

The boy he walked into smiles at him, shaking his head. He's cute, Junhui noticed. His body was thin and the hair on top of his head was dyed blond, the black roots starting to show.

"It's fine," the other boy said, dusting his pants off, "I should look where I'm going."

It's only then, Junhui realized that both of them were speaking in Mandarin. The shorter boy seemed to notice it too, looking surprised at the taller.

"You're the transfer student," Junhui exclaimed. The way he said it didn't indicate that it's a question, it's more like an ascertainment.

"I am," the boy said, nodding his head to emphasize his answer. "I'm Xu Minghao."

_Xu Minghao_. Junhui smiled at that.

"I'm Wen Junhui."

\--

It's a good memory, Junhui decides. The thought of it makes a smile creep onto his face. The memory of Minghao's smile when they first met each other.

With a sigh Junhui stands up from his place on the bench. With heavy steps, he starts to walk deeper into the park, knowing the memories that'll hit him there. He goes anyways.

The next stop is the playground in the middle of the park. Looking at it, it looks exactly like it did the last time he was there. Except he wasn't alone back then.

Sitting down at the one of the two swings, he remembers their first date. His and Minghao's first date right here.

\--

"Just wear whatever," Soonyoung said, not even looking at his friends outfit.

It was outfit number ten anyways, he couldn't remember the previous ones at all. How would he be able to say which one was best?

Wonwoo however seemed to be a little more interested. Not in the clothes, but in the date itself.

With curiosity in his voice, he asked questions about it all.

"Where are you planning to take him?" he asked and shook his head at the shirt Junhui's wearing. A green shirt didn't really go that well with blue pants.

"I thought about going to watch a movie," Junhui admitted as he took off the shirt, finally deciding to just go for the first outfit - a plain black shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans. It looked great, he decided and that was exactly what he was looking for.

"Which movie?" Soonyoung asked, trying to sound interested, but it didn't really do anything when he still was on the phone - probably messaging Seokmin. The two of them had something, but their friend didn't want to admit it. No matter how many times they tried to make him.

"I don't know," Junhui said quietly. "Whatever he wants to watch, I guess."

Both of his friends cringed at that, none of them used to see him like that. Usually he would choose a movie, then if you didn't want to watch it, he would go alone.

"I think you need to go," Wonwoo suggested, looking at his watch to see what time it was. He had twenty minutes to get to the other's dorm - Minghao shared a dorm-room with Mingyu and Seokmin, while Junhui lived with his parents and his little brother.

"You're right," the Chinese boy said, leaving the room and his friends alone. After having visited at least twenty times, they should be able to find the way out of the house by themselves.

Junhui and Minghao did end up watching a movie. The younger of the two decided on some romantic movie that the older never would have chosen, if he had gone alone. It didn't really matter that much though, because Junhui's attention hadn't really been on the movie. It had been caught more by the boy next to him. 

They were now at the park not far from both of their homes. It was a little awkward, walking next to each other, nobody saying anything. But at the same time it was everything Junhui had wanted since meeting the boy for the first time.

"Look," Minghao suddenly exclaimed happily. "There's a playground." It was clearly the boy's first time in this park, judging by how surprised and excited he seemed.

"Let's play on the swings," Minghao suggested.

The older wanted to say something about them not being five years old, but the look of pure bliss on the other's face, made him shut his mouth, not saying anything. Seeing a nod, Minghao giggled cutely and sat down on one of the swings, swinging gently back and forth.

Though not five years old, Junhui did the same thing sitting on the swing beside the younger.

"Thank you for asking me out," Minghao announced.

Frankly speaking, Junhui hadn't expected the other to say thank him, but despite that, it made him smile.

"Thank you for saying yes," he laughed as the other Chinese boy was about to fall of the swing, swinging a little too high and fast.

\--

Another good memory, Junhui concludes to himself.

His heart hurts, imagining the younger boy on the swing next to him. Imagining the sound of his giggle as he felt the tickling in his stomach because of the speed.

Now feeling how much it hurts him, he's not exactly sure, that it was a good idea to go there. He should have just stayed at home, crying himself to sleep like he did all the other days.

With another deep sigh, he stands up and walks further onto his path of memories.

A couple of meters away he stops again.

His sad gaze lands on another place, that bears a precious memory. A very precious one.

It's another bench.

\--

For what felt like the first time ever, Junhui was running to see one of his friends.

Though it was raining, he hadn't had the time to take an umbrella, too much in a rush to even think about it.

Minghao had called him asking if he could come get him at the park, because he had hurt his foot and wasn't able to walk. Neither Seokmin nor Mingyu was home, so Junhui was the only person he could ask.

Junhui liking Minghao more than he probably should, was worried about him and said of course yes.

With a sigh of relief when he sees the younger boy sitting on a bench, he starts to walk instead of running - he doesn't want the other to think that he was that worried.

"You should have brought an umbrella." That's the first thing Minghao said when he saw him walking towards him, totally drenched in water.

With a stupid grin, Junhui just smiled at him. It wasn't really that important - it was just water. It would dry.

"Does it hurt a lot?" the older asked as he touched the hurt foot gently.

Whining a little bit, the younger indicated that it did hurt. Still, he shook his head telling the older the opposite of what his body was telling him.

"Don't lie," Junhui commented, ending the touching.

"It doesn't hurt when you're here," Minghao murmured, suddenly shy.

The oldest of the two chuckled lightly. Lifting his head, he looked the other into his eyes. Feeling thankful that the other had brought an umbrella - probably knowing that there was a chance of rain - so that the other was dry at least.

Admiring the other's cute features, Junhui stared at the other boy.

Feeling himself leaning in - not wanting to stop himself - he saw the smaller boy close his eyes, waiting for what he knew - and wanted - would happen.

Taking a deep breath, Junhui closed the distance between them - making their lips touch. Also closing his own eyes, he moved his mouth slowly and gently against the other's. It wasn't rushed. It wasn't wild. It was perfect.

"If I asked you to be my boyfriend, would you say yes?" Junhui asked, when they parted for air.

Laughing quietly, smiling a big smile, the younger nodded his head. "Yes," he said.

\--

There's too many memories in this park. That's what Junhui realizes as he walks.

Passing the place where Minghao had kissed him first for the first time, passing the place where he and Minghao had celebrated his birthday, the place where they had looked at the stars at night.

There's too many memories.

The last place on Junhui's path of memories is where it all ended. Where everything screwed up.

\--

"Who's is that?!" Junhui yelled at the younger, not caring about all the looks they got from the people around them. There was not that many anyways. The ones who were there most likely didn't understand Chinese either.

"Just listen to me," Minghao pleaded, trying to calm the older down.

They had been messing around and Junhui saw the lock-screen on the younger's phone by accident. It was a selfie of Minghao together with some long haired guy, that the older of the two didn't know anything about.

"Who is it?" Junhui asked again, not letting the younger say anything.

With a sigh, the younger decided to just answer the question. "His name is Junghan," he admitted.

"And who is he?" the taller Chinese boy asked. The anger in his voice was not to be mistaken, and Minghao knew that he had to be careful about how he decided to word it.

"He's my tutor," Minghao explained softly. To have a fight with his boyfriend was the last thing that he wanted. They hadn't had a fight yet and he didn't want this to be the first.

"Why in the world is he your lock-screen then?" Junhui exclaimed. Of course he was angry about this. He had the right to be angry as Minghao's boyfriend.

Not able to take it anymore, Minghao raised his voice at the older too.

"Why do you even want to know?" he yelled back. The older wouldn't let him explain, so why in the world wanted he to know about Junghan being his lock-screen? He couldn't even get to tell the older.

"Why? Because you're my boyfriend," Junhui yelled back, anger still visible in his voice.

When Minghao just looked at him, not saying anything at all, just staring, Junhui sighed.

"I'll just leave," he said quietly, not able to deal with the fight. He wasn't able to get yelled at by Minghao anymore. It hurt him.

Minghao, of course, followed the older, not wanting him to leave without them solving this issue.

"Junhui, wait," Minghao begged, following closely behind the older as he walked out of the park.

Shaking his head, Junhui ignored the younger.

This wasn't what he had expected, when they decided to meet at the park. They were supposed to have a nice time together, but it all ended in a fight. Never in his thoughts, had Junhui expected this.

"JUNHUI!!" Minghao suddenly screamed at him.

Annoyed, he turned around to say something to the younger. What he hadn't noticed was, that they were in the middle of the street.

With a look to the side, he saw a car drive in his direction. Someone pushed him out of the car's reach. The next thing he saw was Minghao, lying on the ground, not moving at all.

"Yah," Junhui whispered, crawling over to the lifeless body on the ground. "Yah, Minghao," he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.

With his strong arms, he lifted the younger, shaking him lightly.

"Wake up," he said, despair crystal clear in his voice. "Minghao, wake up!"

The younger boy didn't move. "Wake up! Please wake up Minghao!"

A sob tore from the oldest of the two Chinese boys. "Y-you can't b-be like this," he sobbed, hugging the lifeless body to his chest.

There was a lot of blood, but Junhui didn't care about it. He didn't care about it at all. All he wanted was for the younger to wake up.

"Minghao, please. I love you. Please wake up. I'm sorry."

He said everything, but nothing made the younger move. Nothing made a miracle happen. Nothing.

 

There wasn't a funeral in Korea. They did that in China, but the people from school that knew Minghao met up to mourn together.

Junghan came as well and Junhui learned that they had had a bet and Minghao had lost.  The punishment had been having the picture as the lock-screen.

Junhui didn't say anything through their small meet up at all. His friends tried to cheer him up, but he just felt empty.

It was his fault that Minghao was gone. It was him who had started the fight. It was his fault.

\--

Junhui is sitting at the grass, when he here's a voice.

"I knew you would be here."

Looking up, he sees his two best friends - Soonyoung and Wonwoo. They both sit down beside him - none of them says anything.

"I miss him," Junhui whispers, trying hard to hold back the tears. It's a failure and it doesn't take long for his cheeks to be drenched in his own tears.

Soonyoung - being the good friend he is - let's him cry on his shoulder. He ends up sobbing, not caring about ruining the other's shirt at all.

"It's been a year, huh," Wonwoo says. "A year is a long time."

Junhui doesn't say anything at all.

Even though it's been a year, he remembers everything. Why you ask? Because it was his fault it all happened.


End file.
